East Notes: Forton, Bergeron, Colliton, Alnefelt
In preparation for a busy offseason, the Buffalo Sabres are also ironing out the hierarchy in their front office. Earlier today, the team announced that Jerry Forton had been promoted to Assistant General Manager and Chris Bergeron has been hired as an amateur free-agent scout.
The promotion is a long time coming for Forton, as he has spent the last decade with the Sabres organization in a variety of positions. Originally brought to Buffalo as an assistant coach for the 2013-14 NHL season, Forton has also spent time as an amateur scout, the Director of Collegiate Scouting, and his most recent role as Director of Amateur Scouting. Forton will oversee the entirety of the Amateur Scouting and Professional Scouting Departments in his new capacity.
Bergeron, on the other hand, is stepping into his first opportunity with an NHL organization. Even though his coaching career began in the 2000-01 NCAA season as an assistant coach for Miami University of Ohio, Bergeron spent nine years (2010-2019) as head coach of Bowling Green State University’s hockey team before returning to Miami University of Ohio as a head coach until this past season.
Other notes:
- Recently named as an associate coach for the New Jersey Devils, Jeremy Colliton‘s primary responsibilities have already been made public. Shortly after the hiring was made official, team reporter for the Devils, Amanda Stein, shared that Colliton will oversee the team’s forwards and powerplay. During his tenure as head coach of the Abbotsford Canucks, the team finished 22nd and 23rd in the AHL in powerplay percentage under Colliton. However, with the Devils boasting some of the best top-end talent, the team’s powerplay should still be an efficient part of the organization.
- Just over a month ago, it was reported that goaltending prospect, Hugo Alnefelt, would be leaving the Tampa Bay Lightning organization for an opportunity in his native Sweden. In an interview with Martin Jansson of HockeySvierge, it does not appear Alnefelt will be home for good, as he envisions returning to North America at some point. The 23-year-old goaltending prospect was quoted, “It’s hard to know if you’re ready or not and I don’t know if you can really be ready if you do something you’ve never tried. But there is absolutely nothing I regret that I went over so early. The plan now is not to be at home for good, it is to develop and take the step back“.
Devils Name Jeremy Colliton Associate Coach
June 11: The Devils have named Colliton as their associate coach in a team announcement Tuesday, directly replacing Green. No other changes are coming to their on-ice coaching staff this offseason.
June 7: Keep an eye on former Blackhawks head coach Jeremy Colliton to join the Devils’ bench in an assistant capacity this offseason, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman said on Friday’s “32 Thoughts” podcast.
Colliton, 39, was fired as Chicago’s head coach in November 2021 after they began the 2021-22 campaign with a 1-9-2 record. He remained out of work for the remainder of the season but later joined the Canucks, serving as the head coach of their minor-league affiliate in Abbotsford for the last two seasons.
With his contract up this summer, though, it’s unlikely he’s returning to Vancouver. He’s also been viewed as an outside contender for the Sharks’ head coaching vacancy, the last one remaining in the league. However, San Jose appears close to a decision, and he’s not the leading candidate.
In New Jersey, Colliton would join a new-look coaching staff led by Sheldon Keefe, who quickly found a new home after being let go by the Maple Leafs. He’d fill the vacancy left by Travis Green, who was promoted to serve as interim head coach after Lindy Ruff‘s midseason firing and left this offseason to become head coach of the Senators.
Across parts of four seasons with the Blackhawks, Colliton had an 87-92-26 record (.488 points percentage). They made the playoffs once in his tenure, winning their 2020 Qualifying Round series against the Oilers before falling to the Golden Knights in first-round action.
Coaching Notes: Evason, Woodcroft, Bylsma, Leach, McFarland, Keefe, Sturm, Colliton
While he hasn’t interviewed for the position yet, former Wild coach Dean Evason is becoming a candidate to watch for the Kraken’s vacancy behind the bench. Mike Benton of 93.3 KJR reported last night that Evason was becoming a “dark horse” for the job, which was later seconded by The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta.
Evason was linked to the Senators’ vacancy earlier in the offseason, but that was since filled by Travis Green. Among coaches with NHL experience, he joins ex-Kings coach Todd McLellan among those connected to Seattle.
Pagnotta also confirmed Thursday that the Kraken are discussing a pair of internal promotions: AHL bench boss Dan Bylsma and NHL assistant Jay Leach. In fact, they’re likely the front-runners to replace Dave Hakstol, who was fired shortly after the regular season came to a close. They’ve advanced to the second round of interviews, Pagnotta said, although it doesn’t appear a decision is imminent. Bylsma’s season isn’t over yet as AHL Coachella Valley is still alive in the Calder Cup Playoffs, advancing to the Western Conference Final for the second year in a row. They’re awaiting the winner of the Central Division Final series between Grand Rapids and Milwaukee.
More on the NHL’s coaching carousel over the past 24 hours:
- The Kraken also let go of assistant coach Paul McFarland when firing Hakstol late last month after he’d served on Hakstol’s staff for the franchise’s first three seasons. He’s landing on his feet, though. He’s expected to become the next head coach of the Western Hockey League’s Calgary Hitmen, Jeff Marek of Sportsnet said Wednesday. McFarland has a few seasons of head coaching experience at the major junior level, holding the role for the Ontario Hockey League’s Kingston Frontenacs from 2014-15 to 2016-17 and again in 2020-21, although that season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He replaces longtime WHL coach Steve Hamilton, who won’t be returning after six seasons behind the Hitmen bench.
- With Sheldon Keefe signing a four-year deal to become the next head coach of the Devils, his previous two-year extension with the Maple Leafs is no longer intact, Pierre LeBrun of TSN reports. As part of Toronto granting permission for him to speak with New Jersey, the Devils canceled his extension and are paying him more money annually on his new deal than he would’ve made on his extension with the Leafs. Thus, Toronto no longer owes Keefe the balance of his extension.
- After receiving permission to speak to him from the Kings, the Sharks are expected to interview Marco Sturm for their vacancy next week, Pagnotta reports. If San Jose doesn’t end up going with their former top-nine fixture on the wing, Sturm is a strong candidate to rejoin the Kings’ NHL staff as an assistant to Jim Hiller. He would replace the outgoing Trent Yawney, who mutually parted ways with the organization last week.
- San Jose is also one of the teams keeping tabs on Jeremy Colliton, said Pagnotta. The former Blackhawks head coach has been in the Canucks organization for the past two seasons as the head coach of their AHL affiliate in Abbotsford. He does not have a contract with them for next season, though. He had an 87-92-26 record in parts of four seasons behind the Chicago bench.